Towing with Compact Cars

[oldtamiyaphile]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

My main concern is the strength of the transmissions- many seem to be marginal under heavier than average load. I wouldn't tow anything heavy with a Metro as it seems they have issues with second gear the way it is.

Less of an issue if you hypermile. If you accelerate at 80% load it puts the same stress on components no matter what the vehicle load. All that changes is the time spent at 80% load. For my 1000+lbs trailer and little 1.6, P&G all but goes out the window as it cruisers at 50MPH at 80% LOD. I do the old truck drivers trick of slowing down way early so as not to have to make a standing start (even more so than my normal hypermiling).

If people tail gate me I don't care, the trailer's my rear gunner Plus, I can't really see them back there.

[oil pan 4]

Its pretty much all here.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...uck-25485.html

There are pictures of air cooled VW towing stuff, Honda civic pulling a utility trailer, a link to a Camaro with a full float axle off a 3/4 ton pickup.

This is kind of useful:
Tow Ratings Database - Tow Vehicle Ratings | Camping Life Magazine

I also found towing data base for euro limits. I noticed the euro spec and US spec versions of the same cars usually had the same tow ratings.
But one thing they do over there is they will put a trailer brake controller on a car, and run a trailer with brake axle which usually doubled the towing limit for most vehicles.

But you also have to watch out. I saw an article a few years ago about how the ford excape hybrid really shouldn't be used to tow anything.
Turns out you can tow with it, as long as you don't try to back up with a trailer on it. Ford in their infinite wisdom didn't put a reverse gear in the auto transmission, they used the electric motor for backing up and they made it just strong enough to back up the vehicle and that's it.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I've seen many compact cars towing utility trailers in my neighborhood, from a 7th-gen Civic to a Fiat Uno (this one with a 1.0L engine and was towing a horse trailer - not sure if it was hauling anything heavier than a pony).

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

..a link to a Camaro with a full float axle off a 3/4 ton pickup.

I must have missed that; do you have the link?

[ThePrudentNinja]

This thread reminds me of that old movie "The Long, Long Trailer" (1953).

Anyway, one thing everyone here seems to be overlooking is the police. Not sure about elsewhere but here if a cop sees you in a small car towing "a lot", they will pull you over and check to make sure you are within your GVWR. If you aren't, heavy fines. They will break out scales to weigh everything too (I've seen it more than once). If your rear end is "lower than normal" they will assume you are "overloaded" and pull you over to check. If you stay within the GVWR you may be fine but if you get in an accident your insurance may not cover you if you are deemed at fault. Rates will probably go up too.

When it comes to IF a small car can tow, the simple answer is "Yes, usually, with some modifications typically". However, most tiny cars have a unibody "frame" and isn't as suitable for towing as a car with a normal frame.

In the distant future I may get to test this. I've been considering what to do with my old van (which has a burned out transmission). I may convert it into a fuel efficient car. Due to the frame, I may could tow with it (it would then come down to the engine and transmission). Since it's listed as a half ton van legally, if I don't have to legally change it, it can tow a lot.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I must have missed that; do you have the link?

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: discuss towing w/ Cad 500 vs other car

Third gen Camaro with a dana60 8 lug full float axle.
I cant make this stuff up.

[freebeard]

Anyway, one thing everyone here seems to be overlooking is the police. Not sure about elsewhere but here if a cop sees you in a small car towing "a lot", they will pull you over and check to make sure you are within your GVWR. If you aren't, heavy fines. They will break out scales to weigh everything too (I've seen it more than once).
...
When it comes to IF a small car can tow, the simple answer is "Yes, usually, with some modifications typically". However, most tiny cars have a unibody "frame" and isn't as suitable for towing as a car with a normal frame.

Why would they go to all that trouble when they can plant drugs, bring a forfeiture lawsuit, sell the vehicle and drop the charges?

My VW Beetle occupies an awkward middle ground. The floorpan (aka 'frame') only extends to the parting line between the engine and transmission. So the bumper is attached only to the body. I ripped the hat-sectioned sheet metal bracket the bumper bolts to off of a squareback once, jack-knifing a trailer. At the front gate of a store-and-lock that had closed for the day. That was awkward.

I have a hitch that reaches all the way forward to the torsion bar housing, but it's too short to fit my Superbeetle.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by ThePrudentNinja

This thread reminds me of that old movie "The Long, Long Trailer" (1953).

Anyway, one thing everyone here seems to be overlooking is the police. Not sure about elsewhere but here if a cop sees you in a small car towing "a lot", they will pull you over and check to make sure you are within your GVWR. If you aren't, heavy fines. They will break out scales to weigh everything too (I've seen it more than once). If your rear end is "lower than normal" they will assume you are "overloaded" and pull you over to check. If you stay within the GVWR you may be fine but if you get in an accident your insurance may not cover you if you are deemed at fault. Rates will probably go up too.

When it comes to IF a small car can tow, the simple answer is "Yes, usually, with some modifications typically". However, most tiny cars have a unibody "frame" and isn't as suitable for towing as a car with a normal frame.

In the distant future I may get to test this. I've been considering what to do with my old van (which has a burned out transmission). I may convert it into a fuel efficient car. Due to the frame, I may could tow with it (it would then come down to the engine and transmission). Since it's listed as a half ton van legally, if I don't have to legally change it, it can tow a lot.

The GVWR is only for the tow vehicle not the trailer. Most cars don't list anything about GCVWR which includes trailer weight. I'll look up my Subaru, but I bet with an empty car and 10% tounge weight I could tow 6000 pounds and not violate the rear GVWR or the overall GVWR.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by ThePrudentNinja

Anyway, one thing everyone here seems to be overlooking is the police. Not sure about elsewhere but here if a cop sees you in a small car towing "a lot", they will pull you over and check to make sure you are within your GVWR. If you aren't, heavy fines. They will break out scales to weigh everything too (I've seen it more than once). If your rear end is "lower than normal" they will assume you are "overloaded" and pull you over to check. If you stay within the GVWR you may be fine but if you get in an accident your insurance may not cover you if you are deemed at fault. Rates will probably go up too.

That is an east coast thing.
They don't do that in new mexico. Cops around here don't even know how to spell GVWR let alone know what it means.
In new mexico, no tag, no lights, no trailer brakes, missing a wheel or 2, holes in your trailer's deck, all while using only Newtonian physics to secure your over load, that's not a problem here.
When I lived in Virginia, the first cop to see you with any one of those above items would pull you over in an instant.
I have a valid tag, all my lights work, I have trailer brakes, 4 wheels and a full deck and I use cargo straps. They might pull me over just because I am not exactly like everyone else.
Half the people on the road here don't even have insurance. (I have USAA too)

[Xist]

Charlie,

Do you remember when [Edit!]Adrienne Barbeau's character Marcie was pulled over in "The Cannonball Run ?" [Edit!]